The present invention relates to ballistic body armor in general, and to body armor for protecting the lower back in particular from projectile threats such as rifle and handgun bullets, and shrapnel.
Persons exposed to projectile threats, such as police officers and soldiers, may seek a certain level of protection by wearing armored clothing. Low velocity projectiles such as handgun rounds, fragmentation rounds from a grenade or mortar, and miscellaneous shrapnel may be countered by so-called “soft armor.” Soft armor is worn in the form of jackets, vests, etc. which are composed of assemblies of ballistic fabric such as those formed from DuPont Kevlar® fibers or of Spectra® ultra high molecular weight polyethylene fibers from Honeywell. The soft armor is often fabricated as flexible panels which are received within pockets or pouches formed in fabric vests or jackets. In more serious threat situations, where higher velocity rifle rounds and fragments must be countered, soft armor has typically been supplemented with hard armor fabricated of rigid plates of ceramic, polymer, or metal.
Some conventional body armor vests have a gap or separation in the armor material on each side under the wearer's arms. These gaps allow for adjustment of the vest to fit different sized wearers. However, this gap can allow the front of the vest to be pulled down, for example by accessories or other loads attached to the front of the vest. This downward displacement of the vest front can result in the rear of the vest moving upwardly, thus exposing a large area of the wearer's lower back and sides.
What is needed is a component to protect this vulnerable area which does not excessively compromise the wearer's mobility.